The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1887-05-12
Democratic Key-Note.

Tie Democratic Convention OF Ken |
lucky held last week sounded The keynote
or 1883. It gives personal endorsement
If Cleveland and virtually declares for him |
'or second term. While the platform
Ices not endorse the pretense OF Cleveland
in favor of civil service reform. nor his
views on the currency question, 1T suili-
GENTLY declares for free trade and against
protection to home industry; against the
repeal of the internal revenue system;
against national aid TO public education,
and against temperance, to satisfy the
most pronounced Kentucky Bourbon
Upon every public question that is now
dividing the two parties. and every issue
that The people are moving to discuss and
act upon, looking to Industrial aud moral
progress, the Kentucky Democrats take
decided stand. ard declare themselves
against the enlightened sentiment OF the
Nation.
d. That part of the platform which is of ma
tional interest, and which was adopted, is
as follows:
We declare our confidence in the integrity
and conscientious devotion to duty of President
Grover Cleveland and congratulate the cOun-
Ocratic administration, national, economic and
clean. and we particularly applaud the Presi-
has protected the Treasury from pillage by his
exercise of the veto power. We favor honest
civil service reform. by which we mean the en-
forcement of the faithful performance by per-
sons appointed to office of all public duties in
trusted to them, and to this end, as we'll as to
the maintenance of the spirit of our represen-
tot of UOVarnment. demand the
s:rctest measure OF personal and party respon-
sibiiity, and are opposed to the snbst1tut1on IN
room of this life tenure, of civil pension list,
and all other appendages of this bureaucratic
system foreign to the genius of our institutions
and people. We declare the honest money OF
| the Constitution good enough for the people as
expressed in gold and silver, and paper con-
per convertible into coin on demand. and are
| opposed to all sumptuary laws. We contend
| that there are already ON our statute BOOKS
sufficient general laws having local application
| to protect the public morals without infringing
| on private rights. We denounce the present
war tariff, laid to confuse as we'll as TO harass
| the people. as a masterpiece or injustice, me
quality and false pretense. 1t has been main
| tanned by selfish and false theory of protec-
tlon which robs the many to enrich a few. 1t
which menaces the prosperity OF all classes and
| every industry. We demand the immediate
reduction of this war tariff. not merely as an
| act of redress to the people promised by all
| parties. but as the only safe and just method
of reducing the surplus; and in making
such reduction we demand further that
the taxes shall first be abolished or lowered up
| on the necessities of life and finally we re-as-
sert the Constitutional and democratic doctrine
| that taxes should be levied exclusively for pub
| lie purposes. and limited to the requirements
of the Government economically administered.
| Congressman Tauibee submitted minority
| report that recommended the striking ont of
| that portion of the first resolution applandlng
| was hooted down.
1t will be seen from the above summary
that the idea Of the Kentucky Democracy
is to reduce taxation, as they call it, by
adopting free Misunderstanding the system
of industry which the protective policy
has operated to build up and establish,
yet at the same time to continue the in
ternal revenue tax in the interest of ''spies
and informers, F." and the Liquor League of
the West. The catch penny phrase OF
war taxi is applied to system of custom
duties levied upon foreign imports to pro
feet the labor and invention of this conn
try and to encourage the development Of
the material resources of the United States
by which only can home labor receive re-
munerative wages; but it is the phrase il
only ''war taxi about which the people
complain, and that is the internal revenue
tax. They declare against the policy In
volved in the Blair Educational Bin, a
we'll as against all legislation and effort
to ameliorate the suffering and crime
growing out of the liquor traffic.
The Kentucky democracy, through de
liberate resolves, prepared by John e. Car
Isle and Henry Watterson, and reflectin
the views and the policy of Presiden
Cleveland and his administration. declar
= For Free Trade and against American
Industries;
Against national aid to popular educa
zion, as outlined in the Blair Educationa
Bill;
For Free Whiskey;
For the perpetuation of the interna
revenue tax;
And against all moral and intellectua
, progress-against the essential interest
) of the people and the genuine advance
ment of the nation.
! Mr.. Carlisle was the Democratic speake
of the last House of Representatives
position second in influence and honor onl
to the Presidency. He is in full accorl
with the present Democratic administra
tion and in all probability will be on tn
Presidential ticket with Cleveland. for tn
second place, in 1888.
The Importance of this formally an
nounced position of the Kentucky De
mocracy cannot we'll be overestimated.-
They are tha first positive declarations o
the Cleveland Democracy, bearing upol
the contest of 1888, and should be borne il
remembrance as an outline, not only of tb
but as involving the issues upon which tn
Presid entail election of 1855 will be con
tested.
- - ---